Connected staple

ABSTRACT

A number of staple members  2  are connected separably by connecting means in a film-like shape at least from one face side of the staple member  2  to constitute a connected staple. The connecting means in the film-like shape is structured by a tearable film  10  comprising a porous film  11  comprising any of polymer films of polyester, nylon, or oriented polypropylene formed with through holes  12  or unpenetrated holes having an average opening diameter of 0.5 through 100 μm by a density equal to or larger than 1000 holes/cm 2  over an entire face thereof and a thermally melting polymer film  13  laminated on one face of the polymer film  11.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a staple for binding a plurality ofsheets of paper to be bound in which the staple is charged at inside ofa manual or an electric stapler and struck out from the stapler to thesheets to be bound, and the present invention relates to a connectedstaple structured by connecting staple members to facilitate to becharged into the stapler.

BACKGROUND ART

There is known an electric stapler that is built-in a copier and bindscopied sheets at respective book forms. According to an electric staplerof this kind, in order to enable to charge a large amount of staples toreduce a number of times of replenishing staples, there is frequently acase in which a connected staple is formed by connecting staple membersin a straight shape before being formed into a C-shape in a state ofbeing aligned in parallel and the connected staple are wound in acoil-like shape and charged to be used in the electric stapler. Further,both end portions of the staple member are folded to bend in a verticaldirection to form into the staple in the C-shape by a forming mechanismprovided in the electric stapler, and the staple formed into the C-shapeis struck out to the sheets to be bound by a driver mechanism.

In a background art, in order to connect a number of formed staplemembers or unformed staple members, a connected staple is formed by anadhering force of an adhering agent by filling the adhering agent amongthe staple members contiguous to each other. In a connected staplestructured by winding unformed staple members in a roll-like shape, thestaple members are connected by pasting a long film made of a syntheticresin along a direction of connecting the staple members aligned inparallel in order to promote flexibility of connected portions. The filmis thin such that when a front staple formed in the C-shape is struckout, the front staple can be cut off from succeeding connected staple bya small force.

In the case of the connected staple of the background art, when thefront staple is separated from the connected staple by a drivermechanism, the film is pulled to be broken, however, at this occasion, abroken piece of the film is extended to be extruded to one side or bothsides from a width of the staple. After binding the staple, the brokenholes/ is extruded from between a crown portion of the staple and thesheets to be bound to bring about a drawback that an outlook thereof isdeteriorated.

In order to resolve the problem of the background art, JP-A-10-009235proposes a connected staple in which a film of a synthetic resin havingan orientation at least in one axis direction is adhered on the staplemembers such that a direction of aligning staple members aligned inparallel and a direction of aligning the film coincide with each other,to thereby facilitate to break the film between the contiguous staplemembers in a direction orthogonal to the direction of connectingstaples.

However, in fabricating the above-described connected staple, there isneeded a film in a tape-like shape having the orientation in the widthdirection of the connected staple and a length in correspondence with alength of connecting the staples, in fabricating the long film, there isneeded an apparatus having a width in correspondence with a length ofthe film, a large sum of capital investment is needed, fabrication costis increased, thereby, stable supply at low cost may become difficult.Therefore, there poses a problem that the fabrication cost of theconnecting staples is increased or the staples cannot be suppliedstably.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is a problem of the invention to resolve the problem in thebackground arts and provide a connected staple connected by a filmfacilitated to fabricate and easily obtainable, facilitating to separatea staple member from the connected staple and improving an outlook ofthe staple subjected to staple binding without producing extrusion of abroken piece of the film from the separated staple member.

The invention is characterized by a connected staple structured byaligning a number of staple members for binding a plurality of sheets tobe bound in parallel with each other and connecting separably the staplemembers by connecting means in a film-like shape at least from one faceside of the staple member, wherein the connecting means in the film-likeshape is structured by a tearable film structured by laminating athermally melting polymer film on one face of a porous film comprisingany of polymer films of polyester, nylon or oriented polypropyleneformed with through holes or unpenetrated holes having an averageopening diameter of 0.5 through 100 μm at a density equal to or largerthan 1000 holes/cm² over an entire face thereof.

Further, the invention may be structured by the connected staplestructured by aligning a number of staple members for binding aplurality of sheets to be bound in parallel with each other andseparably connected by connecting means in a film-like shape at leastfrom one face side of the staple member, wherein the connecting means inthe film-like shape is structured by a tearable film structured byforming a laminated film by laminating a thermally melting polymer filmon one face of a polymer film selected from the group consisting ofpolyester, nylon and oriented polypropylene, wherein unpenetrated holeshaving an average opening diameter of 0.5 through 100 μm are formed by adensity equal to or larger than 1000 holes/cm² over an entire facethereof from a side of the polymer film of the laminated film to thethermally melting polymer film.

According to the connected staple of the invention, the staple membersare connected by way of the tearable film constituting a base by theporous film formed with the through hole or the unpenetrated holeshaving the average opening diameter of 0.5 through 100 μm by the densityequal to or larger than 1000 holes/cm² over the entire face andtherefore, strength of connection becomes larger than that connectedonly by the adhering agent and the connected staple can be wound in acoil-like shape. Further, the connecting film is formed by the tearablefilm and therefore, the staple members can easily be separated along thedirection of arranging the staple members, a large power is not neededfor separating the staple member from the connected staple, and amechanism of striking the staple is not large-sized. Further, a brokenpiece of the film not extruded from both sides of the staple and anoutlook in binding by the staple can be improved.

Further, when the tearable film is structured by forming a laminatedfilm by laminating a thermally laminating polymer film on one face of apolymer film and forming unpenetrated holes having an average openingdiameter of 0.5 through 100 μm by a density equal to or larger than 1000holes/cm² over an entire face thereof from a side of the polymer film ofthe laminated film to the thermally melting polymer film, theunpenetrated hole is formed also at the thermally melting polymer filmparticularly having a property of being difficult to be broken in anydirection and therefore, tearable performance of the tearable film cansignificantly be promoted, when the front staple is separated from thesucceeding portion of the connected staple, the tearable film canextremely easily be pulled to be broken in a direction in parallel withthe staple member between the contiguous staple members.

Further, there may be constructed a constitution in which the connectedstaple are a connected staple structured by connecting a number ofunformed staple members in a straight shape, wherein at least the filmis adhered to a center portion of the staple which does not constitute aleg thereof at least after forming the staple of the unformed staplemember.

The film is adhered to the center portion which does not constitute theleg at least after forming the staple of the unformed staple member andtherefore, in binding the staple, the film is not pasted to end portionsfolded from the both end sides of the staple and therefore, there is nota concern that the film comes out by being rubbed by the sheets to bebound and therefore, an excellent outlook can be ensured. Further, byforming the staple such that the film pasted to the staple member isarranged on an inner side face of a top portion of the staple formed inthe C-shape, the film can be made to be further inconspicuous by beingpinched between the top portion and the sheet to be bound.

Further, by inserting the polymer film selected from the groupconsisting of polyester, nylon and oriented polypropylene to between apair of rollers structured by a roller formed with a diamond particle ata surface thereof and a roller formed with urethane rubber at a surfacethereof by a plurality of times by changing an inserting direction, theporous film formed with the through hole or the unpenetrated hole may beformed.

Further, by inserting the laminated film laminated with the thermallymelting polymer film at one face of the polymer film selected from thegroup consisting of polyester, nylon and oriented polypropylene betweena pair of rollers structured by a roller formed with a diamond particleat a surface thereof and a roller formed with urethane rubber at asurface thereof by a plurality of times by changing an insertingdirection, the unpenetrated hole may be formed on a side of the polymerfilm of the laminated film.

The through hole or the unpenetrated hole is formed by inserting thefilm between the pair of rollers structured by the roller formed withthe diamond particle at the surface and the roller formed with urethanerubber at the surface by a plurality of times by changing the insertingdirection and therefore, breakage faces of the connected film formed onthe both sides of the staple can further finely be formed to be clean,the outlook is significantly promoted and an external force of breakingthe film is reduced and therefore, also a force of driving the mechanismof striking the staple is reduced small-sized and the light-weightedformation of the stapler can be achieved.

The invention achieves the object of providing the connected staplefacilitating to separate the staple member from the connected staple andpreventing the broken piece of the film from being extruded from theseparated staple member by constituting the connecting means in thefilm-like shape for connecting the staple members by the tearable filmstructured by laminating the thermally melting polymer film to one faceof the porous film comprising polyester, nylon or oriented polypropyleneformed with through holes or unpenetrated holes having the averageopening diameter of 0.5 through 100 μm by the density equal to or largerthan 1000 holes/cm² over the entire face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing connected staple according to afirst embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state of forming and striking outa staple member at a front portion of connected staple the same as thoseof FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state of connecting staple membersof connected staple the same as those of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are sectional views showing a procedure offabricating a tearable film.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an essential portion of a roller mechanismfor fabricating a porous film.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a formed staple separated fromconnected staple.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a staple in a state subjected tostaple binding.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a tearable film according to a secondembodiment.

Further, in notations of the drawings, numeral 1 designates connectedstaple, numeral 2 designates a staple member, numeral 10 designates atearable film, numeral 11 designates a porous film, numeral 12designates a through hole and numeral 13 designates a thermally meltingpolymer film (LLDPE film).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment>

FIG. 1 shows a connected staple 1 according to a first embodiment of theinvention. According to the connected staple 1 of the embodiment, anumber of staple members 2 in a straight shape before being formed intoa C-shape are aligned to be connected and wound in a roll-like shape,and made to be able to be charged to a stapler or the like by beingcontained in a cartridge or a refill. As shown by FIG. 2, the staplemember 2 in the straight shape is successively supplied to a strike outportion at inside of the stapler and formed in a C-shape by a formingmechanism 6 formed immediately before the strike out portion, a crownportion 3 is formed at a center portion of the staple member 2 in thestraight shape and leg portions 4 folded to bend vertically are formedat both end portions thereof. Further, a staple 5 formed in the C-shapeis struck out to sheets to be bound by the driver mechanism 7 formed incorrespondence with the strike out portion to thereby bind the sheets tobe bound.

As shown by FIG. 3, according to the staple member 2 in the straightshape, a number of the staple members 2 are aligned in parallel to bearranged such that contiguous one of the staple members 2 are broughtinto contact with each other, and the contiguous staple members 2 areconnected by an adhering agent 8 by coating the adhering agent 8 toamong the contiguous staple members 2. There is selected the adheringagent 8 capable of holding a flexibility even after having been hardenedto be able to be wound in a coil-like shape. However, the staple members2 cannot be connected by a sufficient connecting strength only by theadhering agent 8. Therefore, the long tearable film 10 is pasted along adirection of aligning the staple members 2 from one side faces of thestaple members 2 connected by the adhering agent 8 in this way. Theconnected staple connected to be long to be able to be wound in thecoil-like shape are formed by the tearable film 10.

The tearable film 10 connected to the one face of the staple members 2connected in the parallelly aligned state is made to be able to be cuteasily between the contiguous staple members 2 when a front one of thestaple member 2 of the connected staple 1 is formed into the C-shape andstruck out to the sheets to be bound such that the front staple member 2can be separated easily from a succeeding portion of the connectedstaple 1. Such a tearable film 10 is formed by forming the porous film11 by forming a number of the through holes 12 having an average openingdiameter of 20 μm by a density of 10000 holes/cm² at a long dual axeselongating polypropylene (OPP) film having a thickness of 20 μm <firstpolymer film> as shown by FIG. 4A and laminating a low densitypolyethylene (LLDPE) film 13 <second polymer film> having a thickness of40 μm to one face of the porous film 11 by an extrusion laminatingmethod as shown by FIG. 4B.

In fabricating the porous film 11, for example, as shown by FIG. 5, theporous film 11 can be formed such that an interval of two rollers 15, 17of a roller mechanism 18 arranged with the pair of rollers opposedly inparallel with each other comprising a first roller 15 formed byprojecting a number of synthetic diamond particles 14 having a particlesize of 40 through 50 μm at an outer surface thereof and a second roller17 formed with a urethane rubber sheet 16 at a surface thereof such thata chip of the synthetic diamond particle 14 of the first roller 15 isbrought into contact with a face of the urethane rubber sheet 16 of thesecond roller and by inserting the OPP film to between the rollers 15,17 rotated in directions reverse to each other, sharp edges of thesynthetic diamond particles 14 bite the OPP film to form a number of thethrough holes 12 at the OPP film. The tearable film 10 is formed bylaminating the LLDPE film 13 on one face side of the porous film 11formed in this way.

When the staple member 2 is formed in the C-shape, as shown by FIG. 6,the tearable film 10 is adhered to be arranged at a portion of thestaple 5 in the C-shape constituting an inner side of the crown portion3. In adhering the tearable film 10 and the staple member 2, thetearable film 10 and the staple member 2 may be adhered by heating tomelt a layer of the low density polyethylene (LLDPE) film 13constituting the tearable film 10, or may be connected by also usingother adhering agent. The tearable film 10 is adhered only to the centerportion of the crown portion 3 which does not constitute the leg portion4 of the staple 5 at least formed into the C-shape, it is preferablethat a width of the tearable film 10 is as narrow as possible.

The connected staple 1 connected by the tearable film 10 as describedabove is supplied successively to the strike out portion, formed intothe C-shape by the forming mechanism 6 and thereafter, is struck to thesheets to be bound by the driver mechanism 7, at this occasion, thestaple 5 formed in the C-shape is separated from a second one of thestaple member 2 by receiving shearing operation between the staple 5 andthe succeeding portion of the staples 1. At this occasion, the throughhole 12 formed at the porous film 11 of the tearable film 10 is operatedas an onset of separation, a number of the through holes 12 are formedalong the staple members contiguous to each other and therefore, thethrough holes 12 are operated successively as separating points. As aresult, the tearable film 10 can extremely easily be pulled to be brokenbetween the contiguous staple members 2 in a direction in parallel withthe staple members 2. At this occasion, there is not formed a breakpiece extended to be long in a string-like shape at a portion ofbreaking the dual axes elongating polypropylene (OPP) film and a cleancut face is formed. Thereby, as shown by FIG. 7, the tearable filmseparated along the staple member is pinched between a lower face of thecrown portion of the staple subjected to staple binding and the sheetsto be bound to be made to be inconspicuous from an outer side.

Further, although the dual axes elongating polypropylene (OPP) film isused as the material of forming the porous film 11 according to theabove-described embodiment, in place thereof, a long nylon film having athickness of 15 μm can be used as the material of the porous film 11.Further, although according to the above-described embodiment, theporous film 11 is formed by forming the through hole 12 at the OPP film,by setting a distance between the tip of the synthetic diameter particle14 of the roller mechanism 18 and the surface of the urethane rubbersheet 16 to be smaller than the thickness of the OPP film or the nylonfilm and inserting the OPP film or the nylon film to the rollermechanism 18, the porous film 11 may be formed by forming a number ofunpenetrated holes at the OPP film or the nylon film.

Further, it is preferable that the average opening diameter of thethrough hole 12 or the unpenetrated hole of the porous film 11 is 0.5through 100 μm. When the average opening diameter is less than 0.5 μm,it is difficult to firmly and easily pull to break the film in adirection constituting an object at an arbitrary portion. On the otherhand, when the avarage opening diameter exceeds 100 μm, it is difficultto ensure a pertinent strength of the film. Further, it is preferablethat a density of forming the through hole 12 or the unpenetrated holeto be equal to or larger than 1000 holes/cm². When the density is lessthan 1000 holes/cm², it is difficult to firmly and easily pull to breakthe film in a direction constituting an object at an arbitrary portion.

By setting the average opening diameter of the through hole 12 or theunpenetrated hole of the porous film 11 as described above, and settingthe density of forming the through hole 12 or the unpenetrated hole asdescribed above, when the front staple member 2 is separated, thetearable film 10 can firmly and easily be separated along thelongitudinal direction of the staple member 2 between the staple members2. Further, it is preferable that the porous film 11 formed with thethrough hole 12 or the unpenetrated hole is provided with a thicknessequal to or larger than 6 μm from a view point of providing tearableperformance. Further, in place of the low density polyethylene (LLDPE),for example, a themally melting polymer film of nonorientedpolyethylene, ethylvinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) film, polypropylenefilm or the like can be used.

<Second Embodiment>

FIG. 8 shows a tearable film 20 according to a second embodiment of theinvention. The tearable film 20 according to the embodiment pasted toone face of the staple member 2 forming the connected staple 11 isstructured by previously fabricating a long laminated film 23 bylaminating an LLDPE film 22 <second polymer film> having a thickness of40 μm on an OPP film 21 <first polymer film> having a thickness of 20 μmby extrusion laminating method and forming a number of unpenetratedholes 24 having an average opening diameter 40 μm reaching a center of alayer of the LLDPE film 22 from a side of a layer of the OPP film 21 ofthe laminated film 23 at a density of 10000 holes/cm².

According to the tearable film 20 of the embodiment, similar to theabove-described embodiment, the tearable film 20 is fabricated such thata distance between the synthetic diamond particle 14 and the urethanesheet 16 of the roller mechanism 18 structured by a pair of roller ofthe first roller 15 formed by projecting the synthetic diamond particle14 at the outer surface and the second roller 17 formed with theurethane rubber sheet 16 at the surface is set to be larger than thethickness of the OPP film 21 and smaller than the laminated film 23, thelaminated film 23 is inserted to between the pair of rollers, thereby, anumber of unpenetrated holes 19 having an average opening diameter of 40μm penetrated through the OPP film layer 21 of the laminated film 23 andreaching a center of the LLDPE film layer 22 are formed at a density of10000 holes/cm².

According to the connected staple 1 adhered with the tearable film 20according to the above-described embodiment, the unpenetrated hole 24 isformed also at the LLDLPE film 22 particularly having a property ofbeing difficult to be broken in any direction and therefore, tearableperformance of the LLDPE film 22 can significantly be promoted, when thefront staple is separated from the succeeding portion of the connectedstaple, the tearable film 20 can extremely easily be pulled to be brokenin a direction in parallel with the staple member 2 between thecontiguous staple members 2. Further, at this occasion, there is notformed a break piece extended to be long in a string-shape at a breakingportion of the OPP film 21 and a clean cut face can be formed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention is applicable also to the connected staple 1 connectedwith the staple members 2 in the straight shape to be mounted to anelectric stapler or the like included in a copier or the like, orconnected staple connected with staples formed in the C-shape to be usedin a manual stapler and an increase in power consumption of power fordriving to strike the staple or an increase in an occupied space of theelectric stapler or the manual stapler can be resolved.

1. A connected staple comprising: a number of staple members aligned inparallel; and a tearable film, wherein the number of staple members areconnected by adhering with the tearable film, the tearable film isstructured by laminating a first polymer film and a second polymer film,and the tearable film is provided with unpenetrated holes formed over anentire face of the tearable film.
 2. The connected staple according toclaim 1, wherein an average opening diameter of the unpenetrated hole is0.5 through 100 μm and the unpenetrated holes are formed at the tearablefilm at a density equal to or larger than 1000 pieces/cm².
 3. Theconnected staple according to claim 1, wherein the unpenetrated hole isstructured by a hole penetrated through or not penetrated through thefirst polymer film.
 4. The connected staple according to claim 3,wherein the unpenetrated hole is formed by inserting the first polymerfilm between a pair of rollers structured by a roller formed with adiamond particle at a surface thereof and a roller formed with urethanerubber at a surface thereof by a plurality of times by changing aninserting direction.
 5. The connected staple according to claim 1,wherein the unpenetrated hole comprises a hole formed by penetratingthrough the first polymer film and reaching the second polymer film. 6.The connected staple according to claim 5, wherein the unpenetrated holeis formed by inserting a laminated film laminated with the first polymerfilm and the second film to between a pair of rollers structured by aroller formed with a diamond particle at a surface thereof and a rollerformed with urethane rubber at a surface thereof by a plurality of timesby changing an inserting direction.
 7. The connected staple according toclaim 1, wherein the first polymer film is a film comprising a polymerselected from the groups consisting of polyester, nylon and orientedpolypropylene.
 8. The connected staple according to claim 1, wherein thesecond polymer film is a thermally melting polymer film.
 9. Theconnected staple according to claim 1, wherein the staple member is anunformed staple in a straight shape, and the tearable film is adhered toa center portion of a staple member which does not constitute a legafter the staple member is formed.
 10. The connected staple according toclaim 1, wherein the tearable film is adhered to be arranged at aportion constituting an inner side of a crown portion of a staple in aC-shape when the staple is formed in the C-shape.